Alexander Selkirk

Lore & Background

Selkirk was an unruly youth and joined buccaneering voyages to the South Pacific during the War of the Spanish Succession. One such expedition was on Cinque Ports, captained by Thomas Stradling, under the overall command of William Dampier. Stradling's ship stopped to resupply at the uninhabited Juan Fernández Islands, and Selkirk judged correctly that the craft was unseaworthy and asked to be left there. Selkirk's suspicions were soon justified, as Cinque Ports foundered near Malpelo Island. By the time he was rescued by the privateer Woodes Rogers, accompanied by Dampier, Selkirk had become adept at hunting and making use of the island's resources. His story of survival was widely publicized and became one of the reputed sources of inspiration for the fictional character Robinson Crusoe.

Reader's Guide

Selkirk was the son of a shoemaker and tanner in Lower Largo, Fife, Scotland, born in 1676. In his youth, he displayed a quarrelsome and unruly disposition. He was summoned before the Kirk Session in August 1693 for indecent conduct in church but did not appear, being gone to sea. He was back at Largo in 1701 when he assaulted his brothers. In 1703, he joined an expedition of William Dampier to the South Pacific, setting sail from Kinsale in Ireland on 11 September. Selkirk served on Cinque Ports as sailing master under Captain Thomas Stradling. In February 1704, after a stormy passage around Cape Horn, the privateers fought a French vessel, St Joseph. A raid on Santa María failed. The capture of Asunción revived hopes, and Selkirk was put in charge of the prize ship. Dampier took provisions then set the ship free. In May 1704, Stradling decided to abandon Dampier. In September 1704, Stradling took Cinque Ports to Más a Tierra in the Juan Fernández archipelago. Selkirk had grave concerns about the seaworthiness of the vessel and declared he would rather stay on the island than continue. Stradling landed Selkirk with a musket, hatchet, knife, cooking pot, Bible, bedding and some clothes. Selkirk immediately regretted his rashness, but Stradling refused to let him back. Cinque Ports later foundered off the coast of what is now Colombia. Stradling and six or seven men survived but were forced to surrender to the Spanish and endured harsh imprisonment. On the island, Selkirk initially stayed along the shoreline, eating spiny lobsters. Sea lions drove him inland, where he ate feral goats, wild turnips, cabbage tree leaves, and dried Schinus fruits. Rats attacked him at night, but he tamed feral cats. He forged a knife from barrel hoops, built two huts from pepper trees, and used his musket to hunt goats. As gunpowder dwindled, he chased prey on foot and once fell from a cliff, lying helpless for about a day. He made clothes from goatskins using a nail for sewing. He sang psalms and read the Bible. Two Spanish vessels anchored; he hid from them. Once, he was spotted and chased by Spanish sailors, but they failed to notice him and sailed away. Rescue came on 2 February 1709 by Duke, piloted by William Dampier, and Duchess. Thomas Dover led the landing party. Selkirk was almost incoherent with joy. Woodes Rogers, captain of Duke, referred to Selkirk as the governor

Did You Know?

• Selkirk was marooned at his own request after judging his ship unseaworthy.
• He spent four years and four months as a castaway on Más a Tierra in the Juan Fernández archipelago.
• His story is one of the reputed sources of inspiration for Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe.
• Selkirk completed an around-the-world voyage after rescue.